diff --git a/quickstep/recents_ui_overrides/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java b/quickstep/recents_ui_overrides/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java
index 6e1b24a..58e36bc 100644
--- a/quickstep/recents_ui_overrides/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java
+++ b/quickstep/recents_ui_overrides/src/com/android/quickstep/views/TaskView.java
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
 import com.android.launcher3.config.FeatureFlags;
 import com.android.launcher3.logging.UserEventDispatcher;
 import com.android.launcher3.popup.SystemShortcut;
+import com.android.launcher3.testing.TestLogging;
 import com.android.launcher3.userevent.nano.LauncherLogProto;
 import com.android.launcher3.userevent.nano.LauncherLogProto.Action.Direction;
 import com.android.launcher3.userevent.nano.LauncherLogProto.Action.Touch;
@@ -331,6 +332,9 @@
             Consumer<Boolean> resultCallback, Handler resultCallbackHandler) {
         if (mTask != null) {
             final ActivityOptions opts;
+            if (Utilities.IS_RUNNING_IN_TEST_HARNESS) {
+                TestLogging.recordEvent("startActivityFromRecentsAsync:" + mTask);
+            }
             if (animate) {
                 opts = mActivity.getActivityLaunchOptions(this);
                 if (freezeTaskList) {
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/BaseActivity.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/BaseActivity.java
index 3ca4f59..f3c5191 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/BaseActivity.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/BaseActivity.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 import com.android.launcher3.logging.StatsLogUtils.LogStateProvider;
 import com.android.launcher3.logging.UserEventDispatcher;
 import com.android.launcher3.logging.UserEventDispatcher.UserEventDelegate;
+import com.android.launcher3.testing.TestLogging;
 import com.android.launcher3.userevent.nano.LauncherLogProto;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.SystemUiController;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.ViewCache;
@@ -329,6 +330,9 @@
             return;
         }
         try {
+            if (Utilities.IS_RUNNING_IN_TEST_HARNESS) {
+                TestLogging.recordEvent("start: shortcut: " + packageName);
+            }
             getSystemService(LauncherApps.class).startShortcut(packageName, id, sourceBounds,
                     startActivityOptions, user);
         } catch (SecurityException | IllegalStateException e) {
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/BaseDraggingActivity.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/BaseDraggingActivity.java
index df15fc1..0283eac 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/BaseDraggingActivity.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/BaseDraggingActivity.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 
 import com.android.launcher3.LauncherSettings.Favorites;
 import com.android.launcher3.model.AppLaunchTracker;
+import com.android.launcher3.testing.TestLogging;
 import com.android.launcher3.uioverrides.DisplayRotationListener;
 import com.android.launcher3.uioverrides.WallpaperColorInfo;
 import com.android.launcher3.util.PackageManagerHelper;
@@ -164,6 +165,9 @@
                 startShortcutIntentSafely(intent, optsBundle, item, sourceContainer);
             } else if (user == null || user.equals(Process.myUserHandle())) {
                 // Could be launching some bookkeeping activity
+                if (Utilities.IS_RUNNING_IN_TEST_HARNESS) {
+                    TestLogging.recordEvent("start: activity: " + intent);
+                }
                 startActivity(intent, optsBundle);
                 AppLaunchTracker.INSTANCE.get(this).onStartApp(intent.getComponent(),
                         Process.myUserHandle(), sourceContainer);
diff --git a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/AppIcon.java b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/AppIcon.java
index 0a6ed7f..3f814fd 100644
--- a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/AppIcon.java
+++ b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/AppIcon.java
@@ -22,11 +22,15 @@
 import androidx.test.uiautomator.BySelector;
 import androidx.test.uiautomator.UiObject2;
 
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
+
 /**
  * App icon, whether in all apps or in workspace/
  */
 public final class AppIcon extends Launchable {
 
+    private static final Pattern START_EVENT = Pattern.compile("start:");
+
     AppIcon(LauncherInstrumentation launcher, UiObject2 icon) {
         super(launcher, icon);
     }
@@ -49,4 +53,9 @@
     protected String getLongPressIndicator() {
         return "deep_shortcuts_container";
     }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void expectActivityStartEvents() {
+        mLauncher.expectEvent(START_EVENT);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/AppIconMenuItem.java b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/AppIconMenuItem.java
index ba9c10e..fadfd9f 100644
--- a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/AppIconMenuItem.java
+++ b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/AppIconMenuItem.java
@@ -18,10 +18,15 @@
 
 import androidx.test.uiautomator.UiObject2;
 
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
+
 /**
  * Menu item in an app icon menu.
  */
 public class AppIconMenuItem extends Launchable {
+
+    private static final Pattern START_SHORTCUT_EVENT = Pattern.compile("start: shortcut:");
+
     AppIconMenuItem(LauncherInstrumentation launcher, UiObject2 shortcut) {
         super(launcher, shortcut);
     }
@@ -37,4 +42,9 @@
     protected String getLongPressIndicator() {
         return "drop_target_bar";
     }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void expectActivityStartEvents() {
+        mLauncher.expectEvent(START_SHORTCUT_EVENT);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Background.java b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Background.java
index c37e451..5c4689b 100644
--- a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Background.java
+++ b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Background.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 package com.android.launcher3.tapl;
 
+import static com.android.launcher3.tapl.OverviewTask.TASK_START_EVENT;
 import static com.android.launcher3.testing.TestProtocol.BACKGROUND_APP_STATE_ORDINAL;
 import static com.android.launcher3.testing.TestProtocol.OVERVIEW_STATE_ORDINAL;
 
@@ -28,6 +29,8 @@
 
 import com.android.launcher3.testing.TestProtocol;
 
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
+
 /**
  * Indicates the base state with a UI other than Overview running as foreground. It can also
  * indicate Launcher as long as Launcher is not in Overview state.
@@ -191,6 +194,7 @@
                 recentsButton.click();
                 break;
         }
+        mLauncher.expectEvent(TASK_START_EVENT);
     }
 
     protected String getSwipeHeightRequestName() {
diff --git a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Launchable.java b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Launchable.java
index 1722d5b..b20384e 100644
--- a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Launchable.java
+++ b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Launchable.java
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@
         }
     }
 
+    protected abstract void expectActivityStartEvents();
+
     private Background launch(BySelector selector) {
         LauncherInstrumentation.log("Launchable.launch before click " +
                 mObject.getVisibleCenter() + " in " + mObject.getVisibleBounds());
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@
                 () -> mLauncher.clickLauncherObject(mObject),
                 event -> event.getEventType() == TYPE_WINDOW_STATE_CHANGED,
                 () -> "Launching an app didn't open a new window: " + mObject.getText());
+        expectActivityStartEvents();
 
         mLauncher.assertTrue(
                 "App didn't start: " + selector,
diff --git a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/OverviewTask.java b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/OverviewTask.java
index b21b242..410e5a1 100644
--- a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/OverviewTask.java
+++ b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/OverviewTask.java
@@ -22,10 +22,14 @@
 
 import androidx.test.uiautomator.UiObject2;
 
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
+
 /**
  * A recent task in the overview panel carousel.
  */
 public final class OverviewTask {
+    static final Pattern TASK_START_EVENT =
+            Pattern.compile("startActivityFromRecentsAsync");
     private final LauncherInstrumentation mLauncher;
     private final UiObject2 mTask;
     private final BaseOverview mOverview;
@@ -72,6 +76,7 @@
                         event -> event.getEventType() == TYPE_WINDOW_STATE_CHANGED,
                         () -> "Launching task didn't open a new window: "
                                 + mTask.getParent().getContentDescription());
+                mLauncher.expectEvent(TASK_START_EVENT);
             }
             return new Background(mLauncher);
         }
diff --git a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Widget.java b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Widget.java
index dfd74ed..a658f16 100644
--- a/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Widget.java
+++ b/tests/tapl/com/android/launcher3/tapl/Widget.java
@@ -31,4 +31,8 @@
     protected String getLongPressIndicator() {
         return "drop_target_bar";
     }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void expectActivityStartEvents() {
+    }
 }